Careers Education & Year 11 next steps

Northwood is committed to ensuring our young people are in a position to make enlightened, ambitious yet realistic decisions about their future careers, to have secured a place on the route that is right for them and to possess the skills and mind-set that will help them succeed throughout their lives.

Our vision ensures each student has a clear Career Pathway from Year 7, that addresses the ever-changing world of work. We provide students with opportunities to be leaders of tomorrow, we equip them with the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions about their future and be resilient young people who are ready to take their place in society. Our comprehensive Careers Curriculum will ensure they meet employers, have workplace encounters, consider careers linked to the curriculum and understand how our labour market changes over time.  

Our Careers Education Information and Guidance (CEIAG) programme enables pupils, parents, teachers and employers to access and understand what the school has to offer in terms of its careers provision.  It is modelled around best practices for careers under the Gatsby Benchmarks.

Our vision for each year group is summarised in the table below:

YearThemeINSPIRE > INFORM > EXPLORE > PLAN >  DECIDE > REFLECT > SPECIALISE 
7InspireOur aim is to raise awareness about the wide range of jobs and career options available. We want students to be inspired to investigate areas of interest, whilst developing key skills useful in life and the workplace.
8ExploreYear 8 provides an opportunity for students to fully explore particular fields of interest. They will research next steps and know the criteria for entry into these areas.  Students will also identify the desirable skills, attributes and experiences for these areas and seek to develop these, both in and out of school.
9InformStudents in Year 9 choose their GCSE subject options. Therefore, our aim is to show students how different subjects link to careers and Post-16 qualifications to inform their Key Stage 4 subject choices. Activities in year 9 are aimed at bridging the gap between education and the world of work. 
10PlanStudents will use all of their careers knowledge acquired between years 7 – 9 to plan possible progression routes after year 11. This will involve identifying key strengths and weaknesses in their skills and academic studies to create an action plan to address identified areas of development. 
11Decide The end of year 11 requires students to make decisions about what their next steps; college, A-level, training programme or apprenticeship. Students will be taken through the application process for their chosen route and revisit their plans to ensure that they are on track to get the grades they need to move into the next phase of their education. 
12ReflectSixth Form students will reflect on their chosen pathway by exploring various career paths that link to their studies and seeking a range of opportunities to inform their decisions. For students who are new to our school, they will be offered a tailored provision at the beginning of the year to ensure they are starting the year with the same information as everyone else.
13SpecialiseBy now, students are fully prepared and supported in year 13 to move onto one of three main pathways – university, work or apprenticeship. Through the Northwood Diploma, they will have a clear idea of which route they are planning to take and what they need to do to give them the best possible chance of being successful on  that pathway.

To learn more about our careers programme for each year group please use the link below:

Our Careers Team consists of:

  • Careers Leader – Mr McManus – 01923 836363 email: office@nwschool.org.uk
  • Careers Coordinator – Mr Hajghassem

To view our careers Policy please use the link below:

Student Zone

Designed to provide you with relevant information to help you find and learn about careers that suit you. The Student Zone includes an interactive career quiz, employability skills toolkit, Labour Market Information (LMI) and apprenticeship opportunities. The Student Zone is divided into two sections: one for Key Stage 3 and one for Key stages 4 & 5. However, you are not restricted to your key stage, and you can browse between the two sections.

KS3 (Y7/8/9)

BBC Bitesize careers:

Labour Market Information (LMI) – Access vital information about a variey of jobs using the LMI widgets below:

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icould website:

KS4/5 (Y10/11/12&13)

Interactive Quiz:

Determining your career path can be challenging, and your aspirations may evolve as you grow older. Explore various opportunities through the UCAS Careers Quiz. This quiz aligns your skills and interests with different careers.

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Employability Skills Toolkit:

Certain Skills are highly transferable and, in addition, to technical skills, employers often seek generic skills applicable to various jobs. Whether you aspire to be an engineer or fashion designer, specific soft skills are essential for workplace success.

Apprenticeships and Job Opportunities:

An apprenticeship is a paid job that allows you to work and study simultaneously, open to individuals aged 16 and above.

Please take a moment to read our CareersEd Bulletins:

To learn more about the current labour market please read the newsletters below:

  • Inspiring Careers Sept 2022

For Year 11 families please read the latest Choices Magazine:

Social Wall

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NorthwoodSCH
1 week ago

The winners and runners up for this years Extended Learning Challenge (ELC) received their Headteacher's Commendations this morning! The winning projects were based on a wide range of themes, including AI, The Natural World and The History of our Civilisations.

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NorthwoodSCH
2 weeks ago

Northwood Sixth Form students celebrated each of our female members of staff on Friday with a message, a flower and something sweet for International Women's Day. #internationalwomensday #iwd2024 #inspireinclusion

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NorthwoodSCH
3 weeks ago

As part of our World of Work month, our sixth formers received a talk from a Careers coach this morning. They explored the 6-Step Win Model and were introduced to new concepts and goal-setting techniques to help them evaluate and fulfil their potential.

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Our office opens at 8am and closes at 4pm. Any calls after that will be tended to the next working day. If your child is a member of Northwood School, they will be able to contact their teachers by using their school Gmail account, or via Google Classroom.